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I understand your frustration but I don't see evidence of laziness here. It is easier for me to believe that their priorities and yours don't intersect neatly.

I guess I missed something here. Was the Chargers game blacked out locally? I thought I read that the blackout restrictions were lowered from a sellout to 85% of the tickets being sold. Also, maybe I was under the wrong impression but I did not know that the GM channel was not allowed to show the game if there was a blackout. Why punish the entire US for one towns problems? I guess I was able to watch the game on the correct channel but I am baffled that someone wants the blackout restrictions set so in stone that even the Game Mix channel is not allowed to show the game. I guess with the game airing as the 2nd (late afternoon) game the screen is larger as only 4 games were to be shown. If someone paid for ST and was blacked out locally its a little far to carry to not allow them to watch it on the Game Mix channel as well. That may or may not have anything to do with DirecTV but still its a little harsh.

I guess I missed something here. Was the Chargers game blacked out locally?

Yes, it was. (And when the Chargers get blacked out, they're also blacked out throughout the entire Los Angeles DMA, which is huge.)

I thought I read that the blackout restrictions were lowered from a sellout to 85% of the tickets being sold.

Before this season started, individual teams had to select whether they'd stick with the 100% threshold or switch to the new 85% threshold. The only two that selected 85% were the Bucs and the Raiders.

Also, maybe I was under the wrong impression but I did not know that the GM channel was not allowed to show the game if there was a blackout. Why punish the entire US for one towns problems? I guess I was able to watch the game on the correct channel but I am baffled that someone wants the blackout restrictions set so in stone that even the Game Mix channel is not allowed to show the game.

That "someone" is the National Football League, and as we've seen with the replacement referee situation, they are nothing if not intransigent.

Before this season started, individual teams had to select whether they'd stick with the 100% threshold or switch to the new 85% threshold. The only two that selected 85% were the Bucs and the Raiders.

The only way to do this with today's technology (that is one way satellite) is to have an extra mix channel for each blackout area.

Ain't gonna happen. No return for that investment. Watch red zone or the game if you want to see it.

In 2012, D can not blackout a single box on the GM channel? Kind of sad.... I'm sure it could be done but they chose not to. If we get the perfect store they will be forced to get off their ass and fix it. The NFL blackout issues are going to get worse as NFL has already signaled they are here to stay. D can either innovate or face an angry bunch of customers who now have alternatives with red zone channels and more games on network/cable tv...

In 2012, D can not blackout a single box on the GM channel? Kind of sad.... I'm sure it could be done but they chose not to. If we get the perfect store they will be forced to get off their ass and fix it. The NFL blackout issues are going to get worse as NFL has already signaled they are here to stay. D can either innovate or face an angry bunch of customers who now have alternatives with red zone channels and more games on network/cable tv...

Do you understand what the mix channels are? They are not built from the individual game channels it is just a regular channel like all the others. Do you think DirecTV should have the capability to replace part of your TNT (to pick a generic channel) picture with a black box but not mine? It would be the same thing.

In 2012, D can not blackout a single box on the GM channel? Kind of sad.... I'm sure it could be done but they chose not to. If we get the perfect store they will be forced to get off their ass and fix it. The NFL blackout issues are going to get worse as NFL has already signaled they are here to stay. D can either innovate or face an angry bunch of customers who now have alternatives with red zone channels and more games on network/cable tv...

Or they could just ax the channel after this season if it becomes this problem you claim it is as I don't think there's anyone forcing them to have one.

In 2012, D can not blackout a single box on the GM channel? Kind of sad.... I'm sure it could be done but they chose not to. If we get the perfect store they will be forced to get off their ass and fix it. The NFL blackout issues are going to get worse as NFL has already signaled they are here to stay. D can either innovate or face an angry bunch of customers who now have alternatives with red zone channels and more games on network/cable tv...

Since you have demonstrated you know nothing about the technology and decided directv is just being mean, tell me who else has a mix channel of the NFL games that people are going to flock to?

Uh huh. No one.

So this anger choice because a game or two is missing is to have no NFL mix channel. Yup. That would make sense.

Ten years ago in the NYC market you'd get a Jets/Giants and maybe one more game, then MNF... In other markets you'd get only one game plus MNF... <<Philly comes to mind..

Times have changed.

Now you get Jets/Giants/MNF, SNF, TNF, RZC and typically one more game. Point is, there is so much football on tv the need for the NFLST is fading thus D needs to innovate to stay competitive.

Do the math, that is up to 12 teams, or a 1/3 of the league plus the RZC..... As my brother said to me, I see 85% of the Cowboys in NJ without spending $300.

D simply can't charge the prices they charge any more, the value of the package is no longer there. Thus fix the dam GM channels and keep us who pay all this money coming back.

Whoa. You are not affixed to reality. For over a decade, the amount of games locally has been pretty fixed. Three on Sunday afternoon. One Sunday night and one Monday night. Thursday night games late in the season have been around for years. The only addition is that Thursday games do not start on thanksgiving day.

So, local tv (including cable) has added about 10 games a year. Wow. A virtual tidal wave.

Meanwhile, directv invented the Red Zone channel and still has Sunday ticket and has the mix channel. As well as mobile access.

Oh, and the price for all that has dropped.

Not to mention that the primary target for Sunday ticket is fans of a team who are out of market. The mix channel has little impact.

So, again, what does this have to do with a game or two missing from the mix channel?

Please use linear thought and logic to get across your point. I don't understand spaghetti logic (through crap on the all to see what sticks).

I'm reading through this thread and can't help but think saleen is searching for a solution that doesn't have a problem. I'm a Sunday Ticket sub and I've never once tuned into the Game Mix channel. It could be removed from the lineup and I wouldn't care. Same goes for the Red Zone Channel.

I subscribe because I am a Cowboys fan living in North Dakota. If I'm lucky, I might get to see 4 or 5 Cowboys games a year without ST. Everything around here is Vikings, Packers and Bears.

The mix channel has no appeal to me because when I'm watching football, I tend to concentrate on one or two games. If the boys are playing, the channel doesn't change until halftime or the end of the game.

With the exception of some diehards like the ones who have posted here (nice setups by the way!), I would imagine your average NFL fan probably has similar viewing habits to mine. I guess the point I'm trying to make is the mix channel has limited appeal, and if this was really as big a problem as you seem to think, measures would be taken to limit the impact of blackouts on that channel.

If you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, you will live your whole life believing it is stupid.